Warning: This article contains spoilers for Stranger Things season 4, vol. 1 & 2

Eddie Munson's heroic death has been a huge talking point of Stranger Things season 4, vol. 2, but Eddie was actually a hero long before this. Unfortunately, Eddie was basically marked for death as soon as he opened up about always running away, and that's exactly what happened. In an attempt to further distract the Demobats, he used himself as bait to ensure the safety of others. This was a heroic deed, but it wasn't the first instance of bravery shown by Eddie in Stranger Things.

Stranger Things has always been, at its core, a love letter to all things nerdy. The core characters are introduced in season 1 as they play the first rousing Stranger Things Dungeons and Dragons campaign, and are, obviously, immediately recognizable as massive geeks. The geeks, however, are always the heroes of the story in the show. Eddie, then, was the show's core message personified, and his heroism was shown in subtler ways before his huge sacrifice.

Related: Did Stranger Things 4 Hide A Pretty Important Character Death?

The consensus that Eddie needed to die to fulfill his coward-to-hero arc isn't fully true, as he was shown to be courageous in earlier episodes of Stranger Things. By making the Hellfire Club, he gave Dustin and Mike a home where they could be their true geeky selves. After turning away from D&D in season 3 and trying to be more grown-up, Stranger Things season 4's Eddie Munson showed them that liking weird things isn't childish, or something to be ashamed of. Eddie wasn't afraid to stand up to jocks, like Jason, who have likely bullied him and his friends for many years, overall, showing Dustin and Mike that they should be confident in what they like, even if other people disapprove of it.

Eddie Was Always A Hero, So Did He Really Need To Die?!

Stranger Things Season 4 Eddie Death

Unfortunately, Eddie's death fits the pre-established Stranger Things tradition of killing the lovable newcomer, so he was probably always going to die. More than this, he couldn't really have returned to Hawkins after everything that had transpired. Eddie was accused of being a crazed murderer, and it would probably have made it ten times worse for him if he returned right after Hawkins had split to reveal a fiery hell below. This would have only fueled the outrageous Stranger Things satanic panic story and made Eddie an even bigger target. After the traumatic events, emotions would be high in Hawkins, and Eddie likely wouldn't have been cleared of Chrissy's murder. On the slim chance he wasn't immediately arrested, then Hawkins would have made his life a living hell regardless.

In the end, although tragic, Eddie sacrificing himself for a town that hated him is poignant and poetic. Everyone thought the worst of him, but in the end, he proved them all wrong and paid the ultimate price for it. Despite always being a hero of the misfits, Eddie Munson was, unfortunately, another victim of the Stranger Things secret character rule.

Next: Eddie's Tattoos Secretly Revealed His Stranger Things 4 Fate